14th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF YOUNG FOLKLORISTS
Humble Theory and Power of the Vernacular
September 25-26, 2025, Tartu, Estonia
“The questions proper to our field are in the middle of the ladder. They are not Why-questions but How-questions, about the life of forms in society…” – Noyes, Dorothy. Humble Theory. 2008
Welcome to the homepage of the 14th International Conference of Young Folklorists, happening in Tartu, Estonia, on September 25-26, 2025. This annual gathering is about bringing together graduate and postgraduate students and young scholars from folklore studies and related fields.
Our conference is titled “Humble theory and power of the vernacular,” which focuses on a concept introduced by Dorothy Noyes (2016), “Humble theory,” which sits at the intersection of grand ideas and local interpretations. We look forward to hearing your case studies and ideas on how humble theory can be applied in real folkloristic practice, along with your original research findings and theoretical insights. Of course, we also welcome papers that dive into traditional themes, such as transmission, performance, and differentiation.
Dates and Venue
The conference will be held at the University of Tartu Library, Tartu, Estonia, as an in-person event on September 25-26, 2025. The Call for Paper is live, and submissions are open to those who wish to present at the conference.
Keynote Speakers
Dorothy Noyes, Ohio State University
Mariya Lesiv, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Organizers
Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore, University of Tartu
Tartu Nefa Group
In cooperation with:
Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore
Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art, University of Latvia Folklore Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki
International Society for Folk Narrative Research (ISFNR)
